20 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



PUBLICATIONS. 



The publicatious of the Institution are of three classes — the Con- 

 tributions to Knowledge, the Miscellaneous Collections, and the Annual 

 Eeports. The fii'st consist of memoirs containing x^ositive additions to 

 science resting on original research, and which are generally the result 

 of investigations to which the Institution has in some way rendered as 

 sistance, or of such an expeusive character as cannot otherwise be pub- 

 lished. The Miscellaneous Collections are composed of works intended 

 to facilitate the study of branches of natural history, meteorology, &c., 

 and are designed especially to induce individuals to engage in studies 

 as specialties. The Annual Eeports, beside an account of the opera- 

 tions, ex])enditures, and coutlition of the Institution, contain translations 

 from works not generally accessible to American students, reports of 

 lectures, extracts from correspondence, «S:^c. 



The following are the rules which have been adopted for the distribu- 

 tion of these publications : 



1st. They are presented to learned societies of the first class which in 

 return give complete series of their i^ublications to the Institution. 



2d. To libraries of the first class which give in exchange their cata- 

 logues and other publications, or an equivalent, from their duplicate 

 volumes. 



3d. To colleges of the first class which furnish meteorological observa- 

 tions, catalogues of their libraries and of their students, and all other 

 publications relative to their organization and history. 



4th. To States and Territories, pro^dded they give in return copies of 

 all documents published under their authority. 



5th. To public hbraries in this country, not included in any of the 

 foregoing classes, containing 15,000 volumes, especially if no other copies 

 are given in the same place, and to smaller libraries where a large dis- 

 trict would be otherwise unsupplied. 



Gth. To institutions devoted exclusively to the promotion of particular 

 branches of knowledge are given such of the publications as relate to 

 their respective objects. 



7th. The Eeports are presented to the meteorological observers, to con- 

 tributors of valuable material to the library or collections, and to per- 

 sons engaged in special scientific research. 



The distribution of the pubhcations of the Institution is a matter 

 which requires much care and a judicious selection of recipients, the 

 great object being to make known to the world the truths which may 

 result from the expenditure of the Smithson fund. For this purpose, the 

 l)rincipal class of publications, namely, the Contributions, are so dis- 

 tributed as to be accessible to the greatest number of readers, and this 

 is e^^dently to principal libraries. 



The volumes of Contributions are presented on the express condition 

 that while they are to be carefully preserved they are to be accessible to 



